Zack Snyder Debates Rebel Moon Being Sci-Fi Or Fantasy, Calling It The 'Ultimate Genre'
Zack Snyder says Rebel Moon fans should expect a lot more fantasy in Part 2.
As far as genre-designation goes, where does Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon fit? From an outsider perspective, it might seem like the easy answer is “science-fiction,” but those folks might want to take heed of making assumptions. Within the movie itself, as Netflix subscribers learned this past weekend, there is a mythos established that suggests magic may be real in the canon. So that does mean that the franchise is leaning more fantasy than sci-fi?
According to the co-writer/director, he’s aiming at what he calls the “ultimate genre.”
I spoke with Zack Snyder earlier this month during the Los Angeles press day for Rebel Moon: Part 1 – A Child Of Fire (along with the members of the expansive ensemble cast), and one of the questions I asked was in regard to genre. Surprising me, he explained that while magic is a small piece of the puzzle in the now-streamable blockbuster, fans can expect to see a lot more of it in Rebel Moon Part 2 – The Scargiver (which just launched its first trailer this morning). Said the filmmaker,
It’s an aspiration balance with which movie-fans are already well-versed. After all, blending sci-fi and fantasy is what Star Wars has been doing since 1977 – with advanced technology and space travel paired with the mystical energy known as The Force. That said, it’s not altogether surprising that Zack Snyder would target something along those lines given that Rebel Moon originated as a project for the Star Wars canon.
Continuing, the filmmaker said that it is his goal to strike an equal balance between sci-fi and fantasy with his latest creation:
He also only sees the blend of science-fiction and fantasy as a starting place. Those details can simply provide a backdrop for any other kind of story. Said Snyder,
Following up, I pointed out that beyond just the potential for genre, there is a whole lot of freedom. While science-fiction can be used to ground a wild story, throwing fantasy in the mix means that storytellers can do whatever they want. This was an idea that Zack Snyder fully embraced, and he’s excited for the wide variety of corners in the universe to be explored with that in mind. Said the writer/director,
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He did add a caveat, however. While Rebel Moon is just getting on its feet as a franchise, he has reined in things at the start just to make sure that everything being produced makes sense within the established continuity:
As of this past Friday, Rebel Moon: Part 1 – A Child Of Fire is now streaming on Netflix, and those excited to see the conclusion of the story will be able to do so when Rebel Moon: Part 2 – The Scargiver premieres on April 19, 2024. Those awaiting the unrated, extended versions of the two blockbusters will find their needs satiated in the summer.
Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.